Pie Crust

David and I are sharing Thanksgiving with friends in Ft. Collins this year and I wanted to make a pie. I have made a couple – a caramel pumpkin and a chocolate bourbon pecan. I made two crusts with these pies – one 50/50 (shortening and butter) and one all butter crust. I admit that I think that the 50/50 crust turned out better, so I am putting it here so that I can remember it. I got it from this recipe from the American Pie Council (who hosts recipes of good pie makers – of course…).

http://www.piecouncil.org/2016Amateur?entry=17612

Crust
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking powder
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold, in 8 pieces
4 Tbsp. vegetable shortening, cold
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1/4 c. water, cold

1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in the butter until the pieces are the size of large beans. Pulse in the shortening until mixture resembles coarse wet sand and there are no pieces larger than peas.
2. Add the vinegar to the water. Pulse in the water mixture until incorporated but before a dough ball forms.
3. Remove the dough from the processor and pat into a 4-inch disc on a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (On my first time making this crust, I put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes).
4. Roll out the pie dough out to a circle large enough to fill a 9-1/2 inch deep-dish pie pan. Line the pan with the rolled crust and crimp the edges as desired. Freeze for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425F.
5. Line the dough with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for 18 minutes.
6. After 18 minutes of baking, remove the weights and parchment. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Orange Cake.

gluten free, paleo, totes fantastic. i saw this thing on the internet, with this simple recipe catching my eye. whole oranges? so few ingredients? what’s the deal? the deal is that this is an amazing dessert. PERIOD.

ingredients:
2 oranges
4 eggs
2 cups almond meal
3/4 cup honey (or agave)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 oz. chocolate (for topping)

preheat oven to 375.

1) boil the oranges for 90 minutes or so, until they are tender.
2) drop the oranges, peel and all, into your food processor, and blend very well.
3) add in eggs, honey, and almond meal, processing smoothly each time.
4) and in salt and baking soda.
5) pour into a 9-inch greased cake pan, and bake for 50 minutes – toothpick should come out clean, obv. this can also make between 1 and 2 dozen cupcakes, which should bake for only 25-30 minutes.
6) if you want, melt down than chocolate and throw it on top as a ganache, you know?

Coconut Milk Ice Cream.

ice cream is awesome. but finding a version that is awesome and paleo-friendly?

well, these guys have a pretty brilliant base on their site, and we are officially down with it. here’s our version:

2 cans coconut milk (full fat please)
1 packet gelatin
1 cup maple syrup
6 egg yolks
3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 – reduce the maple syrup over medium heat by about half.
2 – pour coconut milk in a large pot. sprinkle gelatin on top, let sit for a minute, then whisk thoroughly. turn heat to medium, add in the maple syrup with a pinch of salt. heat until not quite simmering.
3 – while the mixture is warming, beat the 6 egg yolks very well. when the coconut milk mixture is warm, slowly whisk in the egg mixture. don’t let the yolks cook!
4 – add the butter, again whisking well.
5 – over medium/low heat, blend with an immersion blender for about 5 minutes. this is supposed to improve the texture.
6 – let the mixture chill for several hours, then toss in the ol’ ice cream maker.

one particular version we just made added the following when the ice cream went into the machine:
3 oz. mini chocolate chips
2 oz. sliced almonds
1/2 cup almond butter

this ice cream is sweet and has a wonderfully satisfying texture. it does have a coconut taste to it, but i don’t think that bothers either of us. super effective!

Maple and Chocolate-Bacon Crunch Ice Cream

I wanted some ice cream, and I have had some regular ol’ Ben and Jerry’s but I wanted to start working on finding ice cream that fit my lifestyle, that is dairy free. So, I went looking around and I found this. It’s delicious, rich, and with a nice salty crunch anytime you get a piece of bacon.

* You will need an ice cream maker.

Ingredients

4 cups full fat coconut milk
1 pack gelatin
1 cup maple syrup
6 egg yolks
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Pinch salt
4 pieces of thick cut bacon
3-4 ounces Dark Chocolate (72%)

Instructions

1. In a small sauce pan, reduce the maple syrup by about half over medium heat. Set aside.

2. Pour coconut milk in a medium sauce pan and sprinkle gelatin on top WITHOUT stirring. Let sit for 1 minute and then whisk in. Turn the stove on medium and then whisk in the reduced maple syrup and pinch of salt. Lightly simmer the mixture until just before boiling.

3. Then in a mixing bowl off to the side, beat the egg yolks until light in color. (Not sure what to do with the leftover egg whites? Freeze them individually in an ice cube tray and then store for later use.)

4. Slowly temper the eggs with the hot maple cream mixture. Add the butter and then either return back to the stove and whisk for 5 minutes OR Vitamix that shizz for 5 minutes. I think blending it makes it lighter and silkier.

5. Remove from stove and bring to room temperature before chilling for at least 6 hours or overnight. You want it to be plenty cold before churning in the icecream maker.

6. Prior to churning, fry up 4 pieces of bacon until crisp but not burnt. If you cook the bacon in a microwave it will produce a dryer, crispier bacon that works better for this type of recipe. So if you own a microwave, use it, but it isn’t necessary.

7. Layer a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Melt chocolate using a double boiler and then dip bacon strips in it. (I trimmed off any excess rubbery fat from my jerky-like bacon before coating with chocolate.) Lay on baking sheet.

9. Chill for 15 minutes and then cut into small bite-sized pieces.

10. Follow the directions of your icecream maker and churn the maple ice cream. Throw in the chocolate bacon pieces towards the end of churning.

11. Pack into pints or an airtight container and freeze before serving.

Brittle.

another christmas gift was making some brittle. it wasn’t too hard, based on alton brown’s directions.

1.5 cups peanut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
3 cups sugar
1.5 cups water

clean your heavy bottomed saucepan pretty well, then brush the sides with oil to prevent chemistry weirdness from happening. place the sugar in the center of the pan, then add the water and stir to mix well. then place it over high heat. alton says to turn heat down as the boiling begins, but i found that then my mixture just never got hot enough (probably a combo of my pan and my stovetop). don’t stir or mess with the liquid, just be cool. have a baking pan lined with a silpat ready.

as the mixture begins to change color to an amber color, things are ready to go. pour in the peanuts, then immediately pour the liquid out onto the silpat. it will cool very fast, but try to press it into a single layer and keep turning back the liquid portion over the top. once it hardens, break into pieces and eat. it’s very sweet (obv) but good.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars.

the first day of school requires a new dessert. when in doubt, i go with rick bayless, who posted this recipe here on his excellent website.

these turned out really well. a couple notes – i used 1 cup of corn syrup and 1/2 cup molasses, as i didn’t have dark corn syrup in our cupboard. also, i will say that was nervous in step 2, because the filling was rather thin and watery – but it turned out just fine in the end, which made me glad. finally, there is no alcohol in these, but for me pecan pie is pretty closely linked with booze. in the future, i feel like i might try to add bourbon or dark rum or something. but all in all – a complete success. yum!

Makes 32  2-inch bars

Recipe from Season 6 of Mexico – One Plate at a Time

9 ounces (about 2 cups) pecan halves
One 9-ounce bag pretzel rods
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter (divided use), plus extra for buttering the pan
1/2 cup sugar
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into pieces not larger than 1/4-inch
3/4 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) finely chopped Mexican chocolate (like the widely available Ibarra brand)
3 tablespoons flour
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup, preferably dark (or use a mixture of corn syrup and molasses, sorghum, Steens cane syrup or most any of the other rich-flavored syrups that are on the market)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican vanilla
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions

1.  Toast the pecans and prepare the crumb crust.  In a 325 degree oven, toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet until noticeably darker and toasty smelling, about 10 minutes. Let the pecans cool to lukewarm (but keep the oven heated), then coarsely chop them by hand—1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces makes luxurious-looking bars. Scrape into a large bowl.

Use a food processor to chop the pretzels into fairly fine crumbs. (You should have 2 cups of crumbs.)  In a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave at 50% power, melt 2 sticks of the butter. Scrape into the processor, along with the 1/2 cup sugar. Pulse until everything is combined.  Butter the bottom and sides of two 8 x 8-inch baking pans. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of each pan, then press them firmly in place. Butter the parchment paper.  Divide the crumb mixture between the two pans and pat into an even layer covering the bottom completely.

2.  Make the filling.  To the pecans, add the 2 chocolates and the flour. Stir to combine, then divide evenly between the 2 pans. In your small saucepan or microwave, melt the remaining 2 sticks of the butter. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla, and beat at medium-low speed (if your mixer has a choice, use the flat beater). Slowly add the melted butter, mixing until the batter looks smooth. Divide the batter between the two pans, pouring it slowly and evenly over the surface to ensure even distribution of the chocolate and pecans through the batter.

3.  Bake, cool and serve the bars.  Slide into the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the center has just set. Let cool to room temperature.Cover and refrigerate until firm for easy cutting. Cut into 2-inch squares. Keep them stored in the refrigerator until just before serving. Transfer to a serving platter, dust with powdered sugar, carry to your guests and await the ooo’s and aah’s.

Kolacky.

My great-grandmother’s recipe; to try when back in Denver:

Combine in a bowl:
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt

Mix with fork or hands until mixture is crumbly.

In another bowl, beat the following:
3 egg yolks
3 tbsp cold water
3 tbsp vinegar
After beaten together, mix in 1 cup flour.

Combine the two mixtures in a bowl, and refrigerate overnight.

Roll out portions of dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes and fill centers; bake at 350-375 for 22 minutes.

Coffee Almond Crunch Cake

David and I have recently become a bit obsessed with Gordon Ramsay. There are episodes of Kitchen Nightmares (U.K) on Netflix and we have been watching some almost everyday. After watching the show so much, we decided that we needed to check out a cookbook and see if Gordon knows what he is talking about. And of course, we tried dessert first.

Coffee Almond Crunch Cake

Cake:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten (we used large eggs)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 heaped cup ground almonds (we used almond meal from Trader Joe’s)
1/4 cup cooled espresso or strong black coffee (we used espresso)
2/3 cup self-rising flour*
1/2 tsp. baking powder
confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Crunch Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F). Butter the bottom and sides of a deep 8-inch diameter cake pan with a removable bottom. For the crunch topping, mix the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the almond extract and mix well. Fold in the ground almonds, followed by half the espresso. Sift in the flour and baking powder together and fold this through the mixture. Finally, fold in the remaining espresso.

Spread the batter in the cake pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the crunch topping evenly over the top, then continue baking until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 20-30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before unmolding onto a wire rack. When completely cooled, dust with confectioners’ sugar, then cut into slices to serve.

*Self-rising flour includes some additional baking powder and salt. We didn’t have any on hand, so we just made our own. To one cup of flour add 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking powder. Keep in mind that the recipe calls for only 2/3 cup of self-rising flour.

David: It was delicious. It was not too sweet, but you could definitely taste the almond and the espresso. Instant winner.
Carla: It was great. It would be good as a dessert or for breakfast. Easy to put together, which is always a plus. I would definitely make this recipe again.

Butter Almond Bars (August 12, 2011)

saw this recipe at the website for sunflower market, a local grocer. though they call it a cake, i will call it bars, since it is so thin and crisp that cake doesn’t properly describe it. and three sticks of butter can’t lead you astray, right?

Ingredients

Bars
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, melted

Topping
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp almond extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the egg, sugar, flour, and butter with an electric mixer. Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

To make the topping: In a small saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat and stir in the sugar. Add the almonds, flour, and milk, stirring constantly. Add the extract and continue to stir for 10 minutes or until thickened.

Pour the topping over the baked cake, then place the cake under the broiler until shiny brown and bubbly. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Let cool slightly on a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve warm.

overall, very nice and buttery and delicious. they are right to say watch carefully when placed under the broiler at the end – it browns up VERY fast. i liked these a lot, and would defs have them again.

Irish Soda Bread (March 22, 2010)

how else to celebrate st. patrick’s day? irish soda bread is pretty awesome; i tried this recipe on something of a whim.

Ingredients

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/3 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2 cups buttermilk
* 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

i ended up adding in raisins, maybe a half cup? or a whole cup. i don’t remember. anyways, some of the comments on allrecipes say that this version was too cake-like for their taste. i can see that, but i thought the texture was certainly within the acceptable soda bread parameters; it could’ve been a little more dense, but i was fine with it. and we were happy with it – it got eaten pretty quickly over the following days. i’d be willing to try another recipe, but i’d also have no problems going back to this one too. solid A.